


As Day Arises, Take Flight

by GiveUpResistance



Series: Cold on the Ground [1]
Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: AU, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-08
Updated: 2013-10-08
Packaged: 2017-12-28 20:23:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/996179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GiveUpResistance/pseuds/GiveUpResistance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After refusing Magnus' help long ago, Alec contacts him with a changed mind. And still in love, Magnus complies, assisting in Alec's escape.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As Day Arises, Take Flight

**Author's Note:**

> This story is based on one of may favourite songs ever (if you can tell me what it is, I'll write a prequel.)
> 
> Thank you to my friends who love me enough to read my stories and to Alec from MagnificentandPretty which is the most adorable cosplay Malec ask blog ever for beta reading :)
> 
> Warnings: Mature content (some violence)
> 
> Disclaimer: The Mortal Instruments series does not belong to me, etc.

**As Day Arises, Take Flight**

I eyed the boy sitting across from me carefully, the pale fingers methodically shredding a napkin, leaving wisps of white paper on the Formica table top. As I watched, Alec's teeth sunk into a plump bottom lip.

"Let me get this straight: you want to run away with me?"

Alec groaned. "Can you not put it like that? It sounds so… ugh."

"Those were the words you used first."

"Yes, and then I changed them to 'help me escape.' So please, don't use them."

Oh, man. I had seriously forgotten how fun it was to tease Alec. How his face went bright red. How he looked as if he was going to murder me- well, it had been only been maim, before, so perhaps serious was the best tack. "Sorry, it's just that every time we speak, you act like you hate me, so it's kind of weird."

"You're practically my brother's worst enemy!"

It was impossible not to scoff at that. "Please, it's Jonathan Morgenstern who gets the honour of being Jace's nemesis."

"He still hates you."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean that you have to be so mean every time we meet."

"I am not like that all the time!"

"Alec, you either ignore me completely, glare at me like you want rats to devour me or are incredibly rude and insulting every time we run into each other. That is, other than when we met at a club and then you dragged me to a hotel where we had wild sex all night and into the mo-"

Alec had reached across the table and pulled me forward using my shirt, slapping a hand over my mouth. "If you say another word about that, I will fucking kill you."

I nodded and was released. "There's no one else here to hear it, you do realise. And there's music playing loudly in the kitchen, so the staff can't either."

"I don't want to hear you talk about it, I'm  _trying_  to forget."

Ouch. "Well, I'm not. That night was amazing."

With a noise of disgust, Alec threw his hands in the air. "I hate you."

I was about to reply when a small voice piped up from beside us. "Whose are the pancakes?"

I smiled, somewhat grateful for the interruption. "Ooh, mine."

She set them down and turned to Alec. "So the burger is yours. Did you order any drinks? No? Would you like to order any?"

"Black coffee."

She grinned at our unison order. "Okay, two black coffees."

"Thanks, Honey!"

I turned back to Alec to find him glaring. "What?"

"You called her 'honey'."

"Yeah, it's her name."

The blue eyes looked disbelieving, but Alec simply shook his head and took a large bite out of his burger.

There were a few minutes of silence as we ate, and the waitress came back with the coffees. Alec seemed to examine her nametag carefully before glaring at me. "I hate you."

"See, you're mean. Anyway," I said, wiping my lips with a napkin. "You still haven't explained."

"Explained what?"

"Why you want to 'escape' from your family? Before you were totally opposed to the idea, and you guys seem pretty close knit-"

"You haven't met my father."

"Well, I did, once, there was that meeting. Your dad seemed kind of cold, but I assumed that was because the deals weren't going well…"

"No, that's what he's like. He doesn't know me, he doesn't know my siblings. I never wanted to be part of this. Will you help me get out?"

I rested my chin on one palm and considered Alec. "You know, I believe that might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

The other man's cheeks flushed lightly. "Well?"

I briefly contemplated teasing him a little more and decided against it. "You knew what my answer would be when you called me up. There's no one else in town who'd rather strike a blow like this to your family, except for the Morgensterns, not that you would ask their help. There's no one more likely than me to help you. Of course I will." I sipped delicately at my coffee. "Plus, I'm in love with you, so that helped your cause."

Ignoring the flabbergasted expression across from me, I dug into the second pancake.  
Eventually I heard Alec sigh. "I still hate you."

I looked up, straight into Alec's eyes. "I know, darling." Just not enough to not go through with this.

* * *

The next contact after the meeting in the diner was a single word text from Alec's number;

**'When?'**

Oh, how I hated texting, sometimes.  **'Depends on when you want to go, how far you want the preparations to be done.'**

A reply came quickly.  **'As soon as documentation is ready.'**

Alec was definitely eager to leave, then.  **'Okay. I'll need a photo of you, too. Would you like to be my husband or a cousin?'**

 **'I hate you.'** It was followed a few seconds later by:  **'we'd better meet'**  and the address of a different diner, an hour out of town, this time.

* * *

Alec was already sitting in a booth when I arrived, glaring at me from the moment that I stepped over the threshold.

He opened his mouth as if to say something as I slid onto the vinyl opposite, only to close it again. Raising his hand, he poked me in the centre of my chest. "Make me whatever you want in the passports, alright? Just not your freaking husband."

"Okay, okay." I laughed at his mulish expression, as if he expected me to argue about it. "I'll make you a completely random guy, don't worry. But is there somewhere in particular that you want to go?"

He turned away from me, to look out the window at the rather dusty landscape beyond. "Somewhere other. Not like here at all. Where there's forests, rain, and stormy rivers- that's probably really strange and fanciful sounding, huh."

"Not at all." He looked back and I smiled. "So, Canada, then?"

He grinned back. Chuckled slightly.

My heart turned over in my chest.

A waitress brought us each a steaming mug of coffee and the moment was broken.

"Canada would be good, though I know that it's not necessarily like that. Not as many contacts there, and easier to leave without them knowing."

"Lots of places to hide out, too," I added. "It's nice."

Alec looked surprised. "You've been there?"

"Yeah. I've been to quite a few places. Canada isn't really that far away."

"Still. I'm jealous."

"You'll be there soon. I'll make sure of it."

"Thanks, Magnus." His voice was quiet; sincere. It made me all the more determined.

* * *

We parted again, on a warmer note this time.

Each day he sent me a text, simply asking when it would be.

I was trying my hardest to sort everything, divert money to an untraceable bank account, organise in my mind which route to take, where to change cars, where to stay the night. But I still felt guilty every time that I had to reply ambiguously.

(My suggestion of 'How about you get ready and wait for me to throw stones at your window?' was rejected firmly.)

Finally, the delivery that I had been waiting for arrived, the passports and birth certificates that we would need.

And I could call him back.

Two days till departure.

* * *

He looked like any walker on their way to the state park when I sidled up next to him in the car; hiking boots, baggy pants and a thick jacket tied around his waist, a large backpack.

He looked over at me, a confused expression on his face, before a smile quickly spread. I opened the passenger door. "Well, you look like you'd like to get away from here. Whaddya say?"

Still smiling, he slid inside and pushed his bag into the backseat. "I'd like it fine, thanks."

I grinned in return. "Then let's go."

About five minutes on the highway later, Alec finally spoke again. "So, rental car?"

"Yep. I've got the bag you sent in the back, don't worry."

"If you didn't, I would kill you." There was a hint of laughter in his voice. "So, we're going up Sacramento way?

"Well, yes, but…" I glanced over quickly to find Alec looking questioningly. "We're not continuing that way, not through Portland and Seattle."

"What? Why not? That's the quickest way up?"

"Exactly. Look, if you were running away, and no one was following, how would you leave?"

"Book a plane ticket - I did that, actually, to Australia."

Pleasantly surprised, I couldn't help but smile. "That was rather clever. Now, if you set that up as a false lead, where would you go next?"

"I guess Mexico is closest, but the family has plenty of contacts there. Canada would be next on the list."

"And you, being impatient and young, would take the quickest route-"

"Straight to Vancouver," Alec interrupted. "I get it. Where are we going from Sacramento, then?"

I couldn't avoid a wince. "Uh… Reno?"

"Reno? Why? Where the hell are we going to end up? Minnesota?"

"I was planning on going up through Idaho and Montana. Heading for Medicine Hat."

"Did you choose it just for the name?"

"No! It also has the world's tallest tepee."

Alec groaned. "You're so weird, Magnus. I suppose at least no one will expect me to go there."

I chanced a quick peek at his serious face. He was right; no one would expect honest (as far as the family business allowed), sensible, responsible Alec to go this way. No one would expect him to leave at all.

And the last person on the list that he would leave with was me, the deceptive, flamboyant, ringleader of thieves.

It was perfect.

Alec fiddled with the radio for a long while, seemingly not satisfied with any of the stations before turning it off completely as we passed through a small town.

"Magnus?"

"Hmm?" There was some idiot driver trying to get past.

"Thank you." Those words got my attention, and I pulled over, just beyond the town boundaries. "You've organised all this. To help me. So thank you."

He really did look worried, upset, staring into the distance. "It's really been no problem-"

"I feel like I'm using-"

I grabbed his chin and turned his head, planting my lips on his before he could speak further.

He was still rather shocked when I pulled away. "I couldn't help it. And I know that you don't feel the same way. But that doesn't mean that you're using me, alright?"

He nodded and I put the car back into gear, sliding back onto the highway.

* * *

In Sacramento we changed to vehicles, leaving the first car and instructions to drive to Seattle with an old friend of mine.

I took the wheel again, driving until we stopped for lunch a couple of hours later, at a tiny diner just off the interstate, somewhere before Reno.

I noticed Alec playing with his phone. "Don't make any contact."

He threw me a look. "I'm not stupid. And before you ask, this is a burner phone. And a different one to that which I used to contact you."

"Sorry. I just needed to check."

"Yeah, I know." The hunk of plastic spun in his fingers. "Just thinking about Izzy. I left her a note - just saying that I was going away for a short trip, not to tell our parents - and I can trust her not to do that." He sighed. "She knows that I haven't been happy, and she's probably clever enough to realise that I'm going to be away for longer, but I will contact her eventually. When it's safe." He looked at me, jaw set, daring me to protest.

I inclined my head. "She's your sister, and you love her. I know that you'll call her sometime."

His shoulders relaxed with my agreement, tension flowing away. "Thanks for understanding."

* * *

We changed cars again in Reno, Alec driving us away from the city so famous for divorces. It was a relief to get out of California, every mile beyond the state line seeming like further than it had before. It was a strange effect.

Alec enjoyed driving on the highway. The car was a convertible, and we put the top down, letting the wind blow through our hair as we sped along.

He was beautiful.

We didn't speak much.

Alec watched the road, and I watched him.

* * *

He began to tire after about four hours of driving - he should have stopped earlier, but refused to give up the wheel, enjoying the freedom too much. Eventually he was persuaded to let me drive and promptly fell asleep in the passenger seat, waking up two hours later when I pulled up in a hotel parking lot.

"Where are we?"

"Jackpot, Nevada. It's the last town before Idaho."

"Oh." He took a quick look around. "Shit, it's dark - it's already eight pm?"

"Yep." He pulled our bags from the boot while I checked us in, and put the top back up on the car.

Alec collapsed on the bed with a grateful sigh. "To think that just over fourteen hours ago, I was still in bed at home."

I sat down beside him. "Any regrets?"

His eyes met mine, deep and dark, honest. "Not a single one."

"What, not even letting me kiss you?" I quirked an eyebrow, intending it to simply tease him.

Instead of an annoyed reaction as I expected, he shook his head, eyes never leaving mine.

That was all the encouragement I need to lean down, rest my weight on one hand, and press my lips to his once more. This time he responded, with a checked passion that slowly seemed to unwind as the kiss deepened.

Soon I was straddling him, forearms either side of his head, holding my body just a few inches above his. His hands brushed against the top of my thighs, sliding just beneath my shirt line and resting there.

 _I shouldn't be doing this._  The thought broke through the sensation of  _Alec_ , still the same after all this time, and I broke away, rolling off of him.

He looked at me in askance for a second or two before his expression closed off.

"I can't- not if it's for any reason other than you totally wanting that. Unless all of you is there."

"Right." His voice was flat.

"Sorry. I just love you, y'know."

"Must you keep saying that?"

"It's true. Do you want to order pizza?"

"Yeah, alright."

He was silent as I dialled and ordered, so quiet that I was afraid he'd fallen asleep again and I'd have to wake him. But when I turned back around he was simply relaxed on the bed, watching me.

"Is there a reason for there only being one bed?"

I couldn't help but rub my neck, embarrassed, even though the circumstance was accidental. "I swear, it's all that they have."

Alec made a face. "I guess I'll have to live with it then."

"Yep, you're going to put up with the hardship of me cuddling you in the middle of the night."

"I thought you said-"

"I meant that I'm not going to seduce you or anything. I still want hold you tight and pretend that you'll never leave me."

Alec narrowed his eyes at me. "Are you kidding again?"

"No, I'm going to be honest with you. For this whole trip, and however long you want me to stick around. I know what lying to people is practically all that I do, but I am telling you the truth."

Alec stared. Opened and closed his mouth a few times. "You're insane."

I attempted a smile. "So I've heard."

"Ugh. You're impossible."

* * *

Later that night, as we went to bed, he didn't push me away when I slid my arms around him.

Just sighed and tucked his feet back to rest between mine.

* * *

I woke the next morning around nine with Alec still inside my embrace, perfectly spooning.

He was terrible at feigning sleep.

After a few minutes of deliberation I slowly pulled away, careful not to 'wake' him and kissed him on the cheek before slipping from between the covers and heading to the bathroom.

He was up by the time I re-entered the bedroom, busily looking his backpack, facing away.

Breakfast in the hotel restaurant was quiet; he was subdued.

Despite what he'd said the night before, I wondered whether he was regretting things. Leaving town and all of his family, everyone he knew, so suddenly - he could be rethinking his decision. It was possible that things weren't so bad at his home as he had made out, and he realised this now, away from it all.

But then again, he hadn't ever seemed particularly happy to go home. If I thought back to before he turned colder towards me…

* * *

_I watched Alec's chest rise and fall heavily, moisture glistening across his skin. Spreading fingers and palm across the centre of it, I could feel his heart pound, pumping blood so swiftly throughout him, giving him life._  
"I wish that I didn't have to go home."  
I moved forward, bent my head to press a kiss to the skin I'd just been stroking. "Then don't."  
"I can't. They're my family, as awful as they can be."  
I let my hand play over his chest further, thinking. "Then come and stay with me whenever it gets too much."  
He sat up. "Why?"  
"If you want, that is."  
"No, I mean-" He looked guilty all of a sudden. "You know that I- I can't- I'm never going to get away from them." __  
"And so we would never work."  
"I'm sorry, Magnus. I wish - it just won't."  
"I know." Seeing his confusion, I leant forward and kissed him briefly. "You're too loyal to the family. That's something that I love about you. But my offer is still open, if you ever need my help."

* * *

"Magnus. Magnus!"

"Yeah?"

"You totally spaced out."

I stared at the other man for a moment, let my eyes run over him. He looked older than he had that night, paler, but stronger too. "Just thinking about you."

He shook his head at my grin. "We should get going."

He was right - it was almost eleven by the time we crossed the state line. Alec drove again.

He seemed to smile more as we headed northwards, more than a state between us and Alec's family.

Gradually he relaxed, laughing at me as I sang along to the songs on the radio, answering all of my questions about him and everything he liked.

He began to tell stories of himself and his siblings as children, the tricks they played on his father's men. How they snuck out as children through a rusted old gate, and then more frequently as teenagers to go to clubs and parties.

It seemed they'd always bonded together, Alec, Jace and Izzy, the three children of the boss, even with Jace being adopted. And though he never said so in as many words, Alec had protected his younger siblings from all that he could, at least until they had grown up enough to find enjoyment in the fighting, pleasure that he never had.

I didn't know whether he realised how lonely he sounded, so sad that they might be stuck in that life no matter if they grew to hate it.

I had seen for myself the strength and confidence in Jace, the way he lead their father's men. I knew that people found it hard to believe that Alec was the elder son, that they turned to Jace for orders and fights. And Isabelle was known for her cold fighting style, her deceptive appearance, her skill with a whip.  
But every time I watched them fight, whether from within the fray myself or from the sidelines, my eyes had been drawn to Alec, his presence like the stilling between chaos, strength, quiet. I'd watch him as he acted, taking threats with ease, a cold elegance as he cast them aside. None of the ferocious fire that burned within the others. And none of the kills.

"I love you." I interrupted him mid sentence.

"Sorry, was I talking too much, I can-"

"No, no, I like listening to you. I just wanted to say it. I hadn't realised how much you hated it. I wish I had."

"I didn't so much hate it… what would you have done, anyway?"

"Probably have stolen you away."

He glanced over, pinkened, and looked away again. "Isn't that what you're doing now?"

"Yes, but now it's not abduction of a minor."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Alec, I didn't know you five years ago. I'm not that much of a stalker."

"Right." Shaking his head exasperatedly, he held out a hand, palm upwards. "Give me your hand."

I did as he asked, and his warm fingers curled around mine, bringing it towards his lips.

"You know that you're an incredible person, right?" He kissed my hand briefly before letting go. "You're just so amazing- and that was weird of me, I know. But you've always seemed like a brilliant person to me. I was so jealous of your ability to just- be, you know?"

"Really?" He nodded. "You did always use to be rather civil to me more than the rest of your lot - at least before we…"

"I know, I'm sorry. After we had that night - I was afraid. That someone might, I don't know, guess somehow."

"So you covered it up?"

"Yeah." He stared straight ahead. "I'm sorry for it, I really am."

"It's fine. I thought that might have had something to do with it. You're not the type to 'love 'em and leave 'em', you know."

He swung his head to look at me. "You didn't think-"

"Only a couple of times, and only for a minute. I couldn't consider you that way."

"Christ, I really was an asshole, wasn't I."

I laughed at that. It was very hard to imagine Alec being an asshole on the level of Jace. "Just a little bit."

Soon he began to laugh as well, and the mood in the car lightened.

* * *

Although we stopped briefly for lunch and to change cars again, we were both getting hungry by around six, Alec's stomach beginning to growl audibly.

Halting outside a diner in a town just before Helena, I stopped Alec from leaving the car for just a moment. "Look, we've only got a few hours or so to go before the border, and I'd probably want to go a bit beyond just to be safe. But whether we head there tonight is up to you."

Alec frowned, obviously weighing things up in his mind.

I waited.

"Can I decide while we eat?"

I nodded. "Sure."

He stared at his food for most of the meal, glancing up at me occasionally, and catching me watching, smiled slightly before going back to his thoughts.

"I think… that we should stay here. I'm kind of tired, and you look like you are, too. I feel like we should just leave early tomorrow and spend the day getting as far into Canada as we possibly can."

I nodded. "We'll do that, then." Inwardly I frowned. The cautious side of me wanted to keep running, as fast as I could, no matter how unlikely it was that anyone would discover our direction, seeing as neither of us had said anything about where were headed. The other part just wanted let Alec do what he wanted - the part that had asked the question.

Alec seemed nervous as we took a room in the hotel, a double this time. Slowly he checked and rechecked his backpack, while I first attempted to read, and when that failed, do a crossword from a puzzle book.

I couldn't take my mind off of him. My eyes just kept sliding over, watching him until I caught myself again.

"Magnus?"

Grateful for the opportunity to stop pretending not to pay attention to him, I looked up as he crossed the room to sit next to me on the bed.

"Look, I know what you said last night. That you couldn't do this. But-"

"Alec-" I started, warningly.

"Just hear me out! I know you said that you couldn't, not unless all of me was here. And I'll admit that I didn't understand what you meant, then. But I've been thinking about it- and what if all of me  _was_  here?"

"I do want this, Magnus. I want  _you_. Ever since I met you I have. And now that I'm not scared, now that I'm not stupid, I know that, and I can admit that. Please, Magnus."

He sat, awaiting my answer, as my mind whirled.

He was telling the truth. I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his words. His hands twisted in his lap, pulling at the skin absentmindedly.

"I…" I had no idea what to say.

"Do you believe me?"

"Yes. Of course I do, you're- and thank god, because I have terrible restraint."

Alec chuckled and leant forward, kissing me briefly, hard. "I've been wanting to do that ever since you kissed me in the car- hell, I've been wanting to do that since the night we were together, the only time I had the courage before." He kissed me again, less urgently. "I was agonising what to do all afternoon."

I shifted back on the bed slightly. "Did you decide to stay here because of this?"

"No!" He frowned. "Well, a little. I wanted to tell you before we got to Canada just in case they have someone there. And…" He looked guilty. "We'll be really tired by the time we drive for another three or four hours. Are you angry?"

"No, I'm not." I couldn't help but smile and pulled him closer. "It'll be fine, and I don't really blame you about the tiredness thing."

Alec grinned at my words and moved closer. "Well, I couldn't have that." And our lips met again.

It was so much sweeter than it had been the night before. I knew what I was doing, what Alec was doing, was so right. He knelt over me, fingers twining in my hair, and I let, just let him did what he wanted.

Eventually we ended up lying on the bed, Alec above me. His hands ran over my chest where he'd unbuttoned my shirt, while my own grip rested on his behind. I slid my hands down the back of his thighs, when suddenly he tensed, jerking back.

"What's wrong?"

He shivered and frowned. "Nothing, someone just walked over my grave." He leant back down, but his muscles were still wound up and I stopped him, suddenly worried.

"Wait, what are your instincts telling you?"

"To- to run. Not from you," he added hastily. "With you. But to run."

My own spine stiffened at his words and I pushed him off of the bed as gently as I could manage. "We should leave."

He followed me as I headed for our bags. "What? Why? Just because I had a feeling?"

I spun and grabbed his shoulders. "I trust your instincts. So should you. When there's danger, whenever you're in any trouble, sometimes you just know. And I'm not going to risk you when we do have danger quite probably coming after us."

"But-"

"Also, I promise that as soon as we're safe and hidden in the north, I'll want you to fuck me to your heart's delight."

Alec rolled his eyes. "Well, when you put it like that…" He pecked my lips. "I'll trust you."

I had done my shirt back up and just packed away the last of the few things I'd taken out of my bag when I heard a click. I swung around to see Alec slide a clip of ammo into a handgun.

"You brought a gun?"

His expression was guilty. "Just in case. Don't tell me you didn't bring your knives."

Flushing, I retrieved them from my bag and strapped them to my body where they usually were, also checking the one still strapped to my ankle.

Alec laughed despite the sudden strain we were both feeling and I found myself smiling. There were still things to feel happy about, after all. I crossed over to the window to look outside, and the grin slid off my face as, even while I watched, a black SUV pulled into the car park.

It was followed by another. And another.

I swore loudly.

"What?"

"They're here. You have to go."

"But-"

"I promised I'd get you away. You need to run, as fast as you can, and I'll say that I took you by force anyway, alright?"

His face was white, eyes big and blue and scared.

My heart tore.

"I love you." I kissed him, one last time, and pushed him towards the window on the other side of the room.

I left by the door.

By the time I stepped into the light of the car park, there were five cars parked in a semi circle, men standing in an arc in front of them. Leaning against the front of the centre most car were Jace and Robert Lightwood.

Robert looked reasonably annoyed, too laid back for someone looking for his son. Jace looked completely furious, eyes spitting sparks at me.

But then Robert stepped forward, and I saw the absolute hatred boiling inside of him. "Where is Alexander." His voice was cold.

I slapped a cocky grin on my face. "Why should I tell you?"

"Because we'll fucking kill you if you don't, bastard." Jace really was angry.

"Ah, but you're going to kill me anyway, so…"

"I can promise that I will make it painful." Robert's quiet voice echoed with the threat.

"Still, no fun…"

A couple of men were signalled forward; I was ready with a knife. I slashed outwards, across; they fell.

"Do you want us to just shoot you?"

I considered what they'd do if I said yes: probably stick to their word and do so.

"Well…"

"I'll be happy to do so." Robert pulled his own pistol from a shoulder holster. "Where is Alexander?"

"Tied up in the room. He's not going anywhere."

Jace actually growled at me, while his father tipped his head toward the door behind me. "Retrieve him."

Six men moved: two approaching me, keeping me busy with their own knives while another two slipped past. I had a horrible feeling that the last ones were moving around the back.

"He's not there!"

I neatly slit the tendons behind the knees of one of the men I was fighting and turned. "Must've run when I left the room."

"Oh, forget Bane. Find Alec!" The men listened to Jace, leaving me, to begin spreading out around the hotel.

Robert let the younger man direct them. "Good idea. I would rather like Alexander to shoot him."

The words chilled me - not fear of my own death, I'd been living with that over my head for years now. But could Alec shoot me? Would he go through with it? "I don't believe I'd mind that."

The older man raised an eyebrow.

"Your son is rather lovely when he's afraid for his family's life." In the corner of my eye I saw Jace's back stiffen and him turn around. I continued. "Especially Jace and young Isabelle's. It's quite gorgeous."

I was being held up by my throat a second later. "If you did anything, if you touched him-" Jace's grip tightened. "I will kill you myself, make it as painful as possible."

I could see the anger in his eyes, for any pain that his brother had been through, and took a chance. "As long as you protect him with your life."

"Wha-"

"Found him!"

My heart sank as Alec followed a man out of the shadows of the side of the hotel, gun missing from his hands.

Jace let go and I fell to my knees. As I got to my feet slowly, Alec caught my eyes, an apologetic expression on his face as he came closer.

Jace took a step towards him before seeing Robert make a gesture, pulling the blonde man to his side.

"Would you like to kill him, Alexander?"

I could see his white face become even paler at the offer. "I don't know if I can handle a gun, I- I'm sorry, father."

Robert shrugged. "You shall have the pleasure of watching, then."

I caught Jace's eye - he looked hesitant, and let my gaze flick to Alec's face for a second.

_I love you._

I turned back to see Alec's father raise the gun, a sadistic smile on his face.

I steeled myself.

Something moved in the corner of my eye-

The gun went off-

There was nothing, no pain-

And Alec collapsed forward into my arms, eyes wide.

My knees buckled, and fell to the concrete, legs jarring.

My arms wrapped around him, he stared up at me, smiling slightly.

"Stopped it."

Liquid was beginning to cover my hands, soaking into my skin.

"Why the hell would you do that?"

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because it was a stupid thing to do!"

He chuckled, only to have to cough, blood spewing out over his lips and onto his chin.

"You'd do it for me, though."

"Of course I would!" I found myself screaming at him. I let my voice drop as he winced. "I l-"

"I love you too. That's why I did it."

My heart split. "No, Alec. No."

"Too bad." His voice was quieter, weak, his breaths gasping. "Stuck with me now."

"No! You can't- I- I love you."

I bent over him, pressed my lips to his.

The blood smeared.

He managed a smile at me as I pulled away. "Thank you, Magnus."

"Thank me later." The tears were coming fast, dripping onto Alec, mingling with the dark red of blood.

"It's my lung, I'm not much good anymore."

"Shut up! If- if something happens, I will burn it all down, Alec. Everything. You'll have that on your head."

"My father, first." He managed a smile, eyes drifting shut.

"Alec? Alec!"

"… love you."

He didn't speak anything more. Looking up, wondering why I myself was not dead, I saw Robert kneeling, Jace pointing a new gun at his head. Isabelle was standing by with her whip and the gun that had been pointing at me in her grip.

My hand was pressed firm against the hole, but I could feel his blood pulsing out, over my fingers. His life draining away, flame sputtering out. Growing cold on the ground. "Help." My voice was hoarse, echoing in my mind. "Please, someone help him, oh god!"

**Author's Note:**

> I was so very tempted to call this Cold on the Ground.
> 
> I hope that you enjoyed it :)
> 
> I'll be posting a side thing as soon as it's ready, which will hopefully be soon.


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